Christiano Moreschi wrote:
At the moment, we do not merit our elevated status.
This just leaves me scratching my head.
The elevated status we have is popularity, popularity that comes from utility. We deserve our status in a way that's almost tautological. To say that we don't because we don't have the trappings that people associate with success is like saying that Mother Teresa doesn't deserve her popularity because she didn't wear nice clothes.
I agree that with more money, we could find ways to serve our readers better. And even with the funding we have, we can still find ways to improve. But I'd hate for people to confuse improvement with having a slick presentation or conforming to what a corporate executive would consider ordered.
Most of the web is built because people want something from you. Your money, your attention, your agreement, your adulation. It looks slick because you subconsciously like pretty things better, and therefore give up more of what people want from you. Wikipedia is different: our mission is to serve those hungry for knowledge. We aren't trying to manipulate people into anything, and have the freedom to be different. We should continue to do so.
William